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Ancestry

Bloodlines are extrememly important to people all over the empire and it is considered a source of pride to be able to claim a strong and honored bloodline as your own. Many positions of power tend to stay within certain bloodlines despite there being little legal requirement for this. Youths can often describe their bloodlines back several generations and the contract of blood is taken very seriously.

Bastards

Due to the importance of bloodline it is seen as a stigma to only be able to claim a single bloodline (always his mothers) - this can happen even if the father is known when the mother was caught being unfaithful in a marriage or the child was born out of wedlock. Being viewed as a bastard will not only earn insults but it also makes it harder for a child to get a good bride, a good apprenticeship or a good job. In effect it halves their perceived value.

The Contract of Blood

The contract of blood relates to the shared bond of responsibilities shared by two people who are related by blood or have undergone the ritual of blood.

Those who share a contract of blood have an obligation to each other. They share each other's shame, fame, misfortune and gain.

A marriage ties two families together in partial blood contract as the result is a child which has a blood contract with both blood lines.